by Louis Albornoz

Created on: February 16, 2007

Is your car being damaged by the car care products you are using?

Most car care products contain petroleum distillates and silicones, and many people believe that these are dangerous ingredients.

Fortunately though, there is no truth to this popular myth.

Here are the facts about these so-called dangerous ingredients:

Petroleum distillates found in most car care products come from the distillation of petroleum crude oil. Thousands of products you are familiar with such as baby oil, Vaseline, and ChapStick are actually petroleum distillates.

Car care products from established companies such as STP, 3M, and Meguiar's are no more harmful to your car than ChapStick is to your lips. These companies use a multiple distillation process which removes impurities and toxins. Their final products are safe for human handling and use on your car.

While there do exist some petroleum distillates that can be very harmful such as gasoline and paint thinner, one simply cannot label all petroleum distillates as bad.

Silicones are used in car care products for many reasons. They make car care products easier to apply and the lubrication properties of silicone help to reduce swirl marks and scratches when you shine your dashboard or buff your paint. They also improve the spreading and coverage of wax products.

Silicones are used to modify or enhance car care products and are not used for any characteristic they offer in and of themselves. Silicone is basically an additive that improves the end product. Sort of like adding milk to your scrambled eggs to make them fluffier. Nearly all modern silicones are water soluble and completely inert. This means they are safe as well.

With regard to which products you should use to protect your car's interior and exterior, I've always found that Armor All products do an excellent job. You may choose to use another brand but make sure it is from a reputable company. Some lesser known companies use inexpensive ingredients in their car care formulas which can be harmful to your car's surfaces.

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